


Safe in Your Arms - Xiyao

by Mkzbrown, repoughts



Category: Mo dao zi shi, the untamed, 陈情令 | The Untamed (TV), 陈情令 | The Untamed (TV) RPF
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Angst, Comfort, Cute, Fluff, Fluff and Angst, Hurt, Injury, M/M, Mo Dao Zu Shi - Freeform, Pain, Suffering, the untamed - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-11-01
Updated: 2019-11-01
Packaged: 2021-01-16 11:09:24
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,416
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21270071
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Mkzbrown/pseuds/Mkzbrown, https://archiveofourown.org/users/repoughts/pseuds/repoughts
Summary: “Zéwú-jūn” he bowed, wanting to hide his face but his arms were falling, his legs shaking and body convulsing as he held in a sob.“Zéwú-jūn forgive- forgive me I had.... nowhere else to.... turn to” he barely can be heard as he quietens his voice, to reduce the chance of sobs escaping. His arms fell first as he started to sway with grief.The speed with which Xichen opened the sliding doors resonated with a sound thud. He did not intend it to be so, but the pain and hurt in Meng Yao's voice instantly has him on edge, worried and alert to any danger that might be hiding in the quiet of his home. The man takes a quick look at the state of his friend and his eyes open in surprise at the blood covering his robes, the stains and cuts on his body. He reaches over to the young ma supporting his weight as he leads him inside the room. “A-Yao? What- What's happening? Who did this to you?”





	Safe in Your Arms - Xiyao

Meng Yao screamed into his hand covering his face. The silent scream radiated through his body, it was exhausted from running and crying his hurt body from the unclean realm  
he shook his head, tears brimming at the thought of the qingue, of him...  
“Idiot!”  
he insulted himself. Why was he so indulgent and careless? He should've done it in secret or ruin the man's career  
“Idiot! Idiot! Idiot!”  
Meng Yao looked down at his bloodied and dirty clothes, his hands shaking as he wiped the stray hairs from his face. He was emotionally and physically in agony. He was glad the staircase was empty as he climbed up, uncaring for the sobs slipping out.  
the journey had taken all day so he assumed mostly everyone in the Gusu clan would be sleeping that would care about who he was. Except hopefully Xichen  
“Please be awake” he mumbled into the air as he reached the top, heading inside  
Xichen does not make it a habit of staying awake in the late hours of night but today he got lost in the reading he placed on his desk. It was well past 10pm and he knew that Cloud Recesses was sound asleep around him making him the only person still milling about, but the words in front of him were more at the moment more important than abiding the rules. As he read over the book, he heard a noise outside his room and curious to its source he walked up to the door. “Hello?”  
he was actually awake!  
Meng Yao for a moment was relieved to recognise the voice of someone he trusted, he'd been surrounded by so much evil he'd been corrupted to stoop as low as them  
the moment was over in an instant as he seen the outline approach the door. He tried his best, fixed his dishevel clothes and wiped as much tears and dirt from his face as he watched the door open.  
“Zéwú-jūn” he bowed, wanting to hide his face but his arms were falling, his legs shaking and body convulsing as he held in a sob.  
“Zéwú-jūn forgive- forgive me I had.... nowhere else to.... turn to” he barely can be heard as he quietens his voice, to reduce the chance of sobs escaping. His arms fell first as he started to sway with grief.  
The speed with which Xichen opened the sliding doors resonated with a sound thud. He did not intend it to be so, but the pain and hurt in Meng Yao's voice instantly has him on edge, worried and alert to any danger that might be hiding in the quiet of his home. The man takes a quick look at the state of his friend and his eyes open in surprise at the blood covering his robes, the stains and cuts on his body. He reaches over to the young ma supporting his weight as he leads him inside the room. “A-Yao? What- What's happening? Who did this to you?”

“I did it- I was stupid and I upset Lord Chifeng... I'm sorry.” he clings to the strong man, not caring now how he looked. He'd hit rock bottom at this point and began letting him tears stream down his face. The salt stung into his cuts and he whimpered as he was carried into the warmth of the room.  
“I didn't know who to turn to” he has to be honest with Xichen, he's already so undone and hid his face in the other chest

“You-what do you mean you did this?” How does Mingjue fit into all? This is not the answer he was expecting from the young man, he doesn't fully understand what the other means, but for now he's only half listening. His too busy cataloguing each and every scrap on Meng Yao's body, deciding which ones need to be taken care of first, which ones are bleeding most heavily. He places the young man on his bed and runs to his cupboard where he keeps some of the basic medicine. Xichen can tell already that it won't be enough for the extent of Meng Yao's wounds. He hurries to the other man's side kneeling before him and starting to undo his robes. “A-Yao tell me everything from the beginning.”

when his head hit the bed, Meng Yao stared up at the ceiling, trying to focus on the intricate designs so he could breathe normally. He struggled, loosing breath and sniffling but he regains some form of composure, just before a Xichen returned to his side.  
“Lord Chifeng banished me. I was wreck less during the SunShot campaign and he caught me brutally murdering someone.” saying his own, no past, sect leaders official name seemed appropriate given their last encounter and he closed his eyes, focusing on his breathing for a moment as a cry started to swell up his throat.  
“He told me to leave, and never come back. And then he- “he winced as the careful, gentle touches of the other on his wounds  
“He pushed me down the stairs,”  
He takes great care to make sure his touches are gentle, certain in their action but not painful as he swipes over the gashes on Meng Yao's skin. The young man is a mess. Tears and snot trailing down his face, tight fists clutched at his sides - Xichen’s caring nature aches to help him, to sooth the pain and sadness within his voice. The other's words make him still in his moves, however.  
“When you say 'brutally,' what exactly do you mean?”  
Xichen is no stranger to death and killing but he never takes pleasure in it, never extends the act with unnecessary ruthlessness. there is no point in making it painful for others if he can end a life with just a swing of his sword. His heart sinks as he hears of what his sworn brother did in reaction to Meng Yao's deed, and he shakes his head. “No, that's not important right now. It's okay A-Yao, I'm glad you came to find me.”  
“It important Zéwú-jūn. I stabbed a Nie officer, I was overwhelmed with anger and I had been with the Wen clan for so long I- agh!”  
His body shrivelled up as Lan Xichen touches the biggest gash, his open wound from the SunShot campaign still hadn't been treated and the fall had opened it further. He became angry at himself, he was causing Xichen to worry over him? Why should he be worried?  
“I don't want you to be unknowingly helping a lowlife. I'm a corrupted son of a whore who shouldn't have even dreamed about doing his part in the campaign!” he spat out the harsh words he heard everyone call him, finally agreeing with them, they should be his title!  
“I should have died there!” his hands grab at the sheet as the wounds cleaned, biting his lip at the pain as now angry tears trickled down  
“Please forgive me!” he shouted it, not knowing who he was saying it to - Xichen himself, Nie Mingjue or even his mother  
“Please...”  
Although Xichen's heart bleeds hearing the words Meng Yao shouts out, he lets the younger man continue still focusing on the other's wounds. Having most of them now cleaned and bandaged he raises to his feet. He sits down on the bed grabbing one clenched fist into his own hands and he focuses on rubbing it, stroking with slow fingers until he can make Meng Yao's hold lessen, until he can feel a single molecule of pain ebb away.  
“Answer me this, A-Yao. Had you not killed that man would you be alive right now? If you did not follow wen Rouhan's order would you be here with me right now?”  
Xichen looks at Meng Yao's face takes in the anguish and self-loathing he can see written all over it and he reaches out, brushes his fingers over the young man's temple. “What you did under the Wen Clan, you did to survive. No one should be blaming you for that.”  
His hand stays on his friend's face. He strokes his thumb over the other's cheek lovingly wiping away the dried tears and dirt gathered there, as he intertwines their fingers with the hand still holding onto Meng Yao's fist at the same time.  
“Zéwú-jūn I- “  
Meng Yao is exhausted, the touch of Xichen’s hand is overwhelming as he'd ached for comfort, the last time he'd had a shed of relaxation was when their roles had been reversed, both of them out in the wilderness huddled together to survive after the fire in the very halls he had ran by that night  
“I didn't want to do the things Wen Rouhan said!” even he admitted he sounded utterly pathetic, a crying child as the stress of the last few months, or however long he'd been separate from any normality, crushed onto his shoulders.  
Meng Yao’s face shuddered at the touch close to his eyes, but his tears had stopped for now, due to the amount shed he felt raw and entirely vulnerable. But he couldn't help but feel safe in the hands of the other.  
The intertwined hands were what he fixated his mind on. He relaxed into the hold, letting Xichen’s long fingers run over his smaller ones. His breathing steadied. His eyes could finally open to see the concerned look of the other  
“I wouldn't be alive if I hadn't followed my orders.” he says this multiple time, internally and externally. To himself and to Xichen.  
“I would have been slaughtered.”  
Understanding settles in Meng Yao's eyes and Xichen feels like he can breathe again. He sends a tight smile the other's way and leans down to press a chaste kiss to his lover's forehead. He can't help but closes his eyes in relief as his lips touch the warm skin. Xichen cannot fathom what he'd do if Meng Yao's answer would be any different but the one, he gave - the first Jade of Gusu has admitted in front of himself a while ago just how much he cares for the young man, and to lose him now after everything they've done to survive would break him.  
“You're here now, safe and with me. You do not have to worry about that any longer.”  
He moves away from the others face, far enough where he can see Meng Yao's face in all its beauty. I will speak with Mingjue, make sure he understands. Meng Yao looks up in fear of the name but with the caring eyes of Xichen above him... He was lost in them  
“Thank you... Thank you so much Zéwú-jūn”  
He's sad Xichen moves away but he is also looking at the man’s face. It's defined and creased with worry, the drips of concern washing his stress away and instead making him realise just how long he hadn't breathed in a normal pace the past day  
“I'm safe with you,”  
Meng Yao then realises he's been stripped of his clothes and been completely bandaged up. The heat rose in his cheeks and he tried to smile through his cracked lips. He managed a slight curve.  
“I'm so weak”  
He barely lifted his hand, struggling to hold the others face. Maybe he was delirious but the desire he had within him looked to be even more evident on the others face  
“Thank you” his smile brightened, slightly.  
Having been caught so openly looking at the other's face Xichen can feel the heat in his cheeks rise and he drops his gaze, but they don't wander far for the curve of Meng Yao's forced smile immediately catches his attention. He feels the need to sweep down and capture them in a heated kiss. He's too mindful of the many wounds on Meng Yao's boy and instead he retreats raising to a sitting position.  
“It's best you rest now, A-Yao. I'll be here in the morning and we can continue our conversation in the light of the sun.” He whispers into the space between them as he moves his hand to caress lightly at Meng Yao's slightly parted lips.  
He has no real want to rest but his friend's well-being will always come first, and he reaches for the sheets of his bed, untucking them so he can put the other underneath, in the warmth of the blankets. In the safety of his own bed.  
He may be wounded but Lies always rang in Meng yaos ears. The bells woke him up and with the little strength he dragged Xichen down with him, making him lie face to face with him. He blinked slowly, feeling them getting heavier and heavier as even the covers on top of him crushes with comfort his frail body.  
“Lan Xichen... Can I do something bold...” the next words he spoke with eyes closed  
“Something I've wanted to do for a long time.” he leaned in, his lips skimming the others, waiting for the one word  
But he's too tired to wait, with an inch of movement he locks their lips  
Meng Yao’s slow and barely applying pressure, but he's longed for it for so long, he's in a state of lunacy by the time he manages to figure how to breathe through his nose as he further the kiss, now not caring if it was returned. If it was the last, he'd see him, it would be worthwhile.  
Xichen responds without so much as a second of delay, grabbing at the back of Meng Yao's head keeping him as close as he can without disturbing the other's wounds. He wished for this moment so many times yet in the end he cowered in comparison to his friend’s courage. Xichen leans in with his body, bringing his whole self-closer to the entrancing heat emanating from Meng Yao.  
“A-Yao you must rest. This- “he stops to take a deep breath, calm his racing heart as he feels a sudden rush of desire running through him, “this won't help you recover.”  
“I know, I just needed to- “his eyes opened blearily as sleep slowly crept up to him  
“See if I wasn't hallucinating...”  
Meng Yao smiling genuinely before closing his eyes for definite, smiling still soft on his features. 

Xichen presses their foreheads together as he feels the younger man fall asleep. He takes a couple more stedying breaths and puts the sheets right around them all the while keeping Meng Yao close to his chest.


End file.
